In Another Life
by CheeseSwiss
Summary: A burdened and heartbroken Bonnie decides to cast a spell that sends our beloved characters into another reality where they lead completely different lives and forget who they were. But as always, the past has a way of catching up...
1. Prologue

**Here we go again!**

**I proudly present you my second Vampire Diaries fanfic here on fanfiction(.)net!**

**There are some things you should know on beforehand though:**

**Tyler, Alaric and Klaus are all alive and in their own bodies.**

**In this "new" reality, Elena _is _in transition, but she is also in limbo, meaning that while she doesn't die after some time if she doesn't drink human blood, she does however experience the symptoms of being in transition.**

**I've been inspired by Once Upon A Time, Lost and Supernatural and I sincerely hope you enjoy this story!**

**Prologue**

* * *

**(Disclaimer: I own none of the characters)**

The spell was the last one in the grimoire – her ancestors had clearly meant it as a last resort, a coarse of action only to be taken when there was no other choice.

And this time, there really _was _no other choice.

Once upon a time, she might have been more hopeful. She might have decided to keep on fighting. But she was tired. In less than two years' time she had had her heart broken more times than she could remember, she had seen loved ones die and suffer, she had been forced to make decisions she woudn't have made under normal circumstances, and she was tired.

So here she was, leaned over a fire that provided the only light in the dark, dark woods, holding the last ingredients of the spell in her hands.

It was time to let go.

Her name was Bonnie Bennett and in a few seconds she would forget everything that had ever happened in her life. In a few seconds she would start over.

And she wouldn't be the only one to do so.

She opened her hands. She let the contents slip off her skin and tumble through the air into the fire. She chanted. And somewhere along the words, it happened.

It felt like falling asleep.

* * *

In the water, there had been so little time.

As Stefan had swum towards the car, he had realized that the dropping sensation he felt wasn't caused by the gaining depth, but of the sinking of his heart - nearly two years ago, before he had met Elena, before he had fallen in love with her, he had been in the same situation. He had had to make a choice.

Then, encouraged by her father, he had chosen Elena.

This time, Elena had wanted him to choose Matt.

The choice had to be made in all haste. And he knew _exactly _why he had done what he had done – after all that Elena had done for him, sacrificed for him, he had owed it to her to fulfill her one last wish.

It didn't make it any easier though.

After giving her one last look, he had had to swim away from the car. Right after dropping Matt off on dry land, he had returned into the water of course, but by then it had been too late. He had had to salvage her lifeless body from the wreckage, and, after making sure Matt was breathing, carry her to the hospital morgue.

He had lived for 165 years, Elena for 18. He had been around the world, seen all the places that needed to be seen, had tried out and experienced the things that needed to be tried out and experienced. Elena had barely been out of Mystic Falls. Everyone in her family except Jeremy had left her at some point – her adoptive parents, her biological parents, Jenna, Alaric. She had been hunted by too many people because of something that hadn't even been her fault – being a doppelganger.

It wasn't supposed to end this way.

But then again, nothing ever ends the way it's supposed to.

Now she lay pale and quiet before him, the absence of her heartbeat leaving a hole in time and space.

He took her hand and held it though it was cold. He felt the need to be there for her, even though she was long gone.

He didn't even notice when everything began to fade – it was so subtle. Comfortable even.

Like going to bed after a long, long day.

* * *

**That was all for tonight!**

**Remember, keep the feedback rolling!**

**Until next time - live long and prosper,**

**CheeseSwiss**


	2. Crash

**I'd like to start off by thanking all those who have reviewed, followed and read! You rock!**

**But, let's get down to business, shall we?**

**Before you read the first chapter of In Another Life, you should know that all those who are vampires in the series will also be vampires in this story. Tyler (who will eventually appear) is the only exception however, as he is neither a hybrid nor a werewolf. For now, he's human, but as in the series he "only" has to kill someone to become a werewolf, so we'll see what happens...**

**I shouldn't delay you further.**

**Here you are ladies and gentlemen:**

**Chapter One: Crash**

* * *

**(Disclaimer: I own none of the characters)**

"_You are now entering Mystic Falls."_

Stefan paid no attention to the sign. "Mystic Falls" would simply be another small town he'd pass through on his way to bigger cities, bigger goals.

He drove over an old bridge he could barely see in the heavy downpour, then through a patch of forest.

His phone was ringing non-stop in his pocket – the consequence of leading a multi-million dollar business – but he chose to ignore it. Lately he had felt like, rather than being on top of a skyscraper, he was lying buried beneath it, millions of tons weighing him down. He wouldn't give up because he wasn't that kind of person, but once in a while, even he deserved a break.

At last the ringing of the phone became too much for him and he decided to forward all his calls to his assistant. The road was deserted anyway - no one wanted to drive in this weather. So, with one hand on the wheel, he briefly looked at the phone screen.

When he looked up again, there was a man standing in the middle of the road.

Stefan tried to steer around him – but it was too late. There was a "thump" as the man hit the hood of the car and fell lifeless to the ground.

And then things really got out of control – Stefan hit the brakes immediately after hitting the man, but because of the rain the road was very slippery and the car skidded along to the edge where it crashed against a tree.

It took a moment for him to realize what had happened. He was embedded in glass shards from the broken windshield and the hood of the car had almost lovingly wrapped itself around the tree. And – he realized with a jolt – there was a branch sticking out of his stomach.

He had no choice but to pull it out – he counted down from three and at zero he ripped it out. If it had been steel or iron, fine, but wood... next to vervain, it was the worst material he could think of.

Kicking the car door open, he stumbled out, clutching his still-healing stomach. One look at the wreckage insured him that the car could be used no more. And it was nobody's fault but his own – and the man's.

The man.

Frowning, he returned to the road.

Indeed, the man still lay there. But before Stefan could as much as take a step towards him, he started to rise with jagged movements, looking not very unlike Frankenstein coming alive. He twisted his broken arms back into place with the confidence of someone who had done it before.

And Stefan just stared, unable to look away.

Finally the man was done and he looked back at Stefan, smirking.

"How...?" Stefan began.

The man looked pleased with himself. "I'm a vampire. What's your excuse?"

* * *

It was her 50th day without sun.

As soon as she woke up she rushed to the window as she usually did and peeked behind the curtain.

It seemed to be the perfect summer day – the sky was cornflower blue and the lawns glowed emerald in the sunshine. This was the kind of day when people gathered for BBQs or went to beach. Elena on the other hand would – sadly - spend the day inside again. Alone.

It wasn't that she couldn't go outside – she could. But then she'd have to wear jeans and a long-sleeved shirt and a hat with a wide brim. Even if she stuck to the shade, it'd be much too hot for her. Besides - who would she go with? Her friends had long ago abandoned her. She didn't blame them - it wasn't very easy being friends with a person allergic to the sun.

Her parents were gone over the weekend so she had the house all to herself, which of course made her feel all the more lonely.

She went down to the basement and spent the whole day kickboxing, an activity that let her vent her feelings and frustrations, of which she had plenty.

At midnight when it finally became dark, she could finally go outside for a short walk. No one was outside, the air was cool and the night full of cricket song. Elena thought that her neighbors were certainly missing out on quite a lot – as beautiful as day was, there was nothing that could beat the night.

But her brief happiness was cut short as she got a migraine and had to return back home.

She got an Ibuprofen pill out of the kitchen cabinet and went to the sink to fill up a glass with water. But, as she turned on the tap, no water came out.

So, after filling up the glass in the bathroom instead, she called upon a plumber to check up on the problem – she didn't want her parents to come home and realize something was up with the pipes.

He came surprisingly quickly, within half an hour of her call, even if it was the middle of the night. His name was – according to his nameplate at least – Alaric Salzman, and he was friendly enough, though also a little... smug.

While he poked around in the kitchen, fixing the pipes, Elena waited in the dark living room, for some reason feeling nervousity. Maybe because the only people in her house were usually her parents and the friends of her parents.

Soon enough, Alaric came out, wiping his hands clean on a handkerchief. Elena followed him to the door.

"The main pipe was clogged," Alaric explained. "By something that isn't quite uncommon to find in pipes. I cleaned it and put it on the counter for you to have a look at."

"Thanks," Elena said a little uncertainly. So much time in solitude had made her socially awkward, "Um, just send a bill. I'll pay it."

Alaric nodded slowly, looking ever more smug. He bode her forewell, then left.

Unable to sustain her curiousity, Elena rushed to the kitchen to see what the object was.

Alaric had been right – it was indeed an item that wasn't too uncommon to be found in pipes.

It was a necklace.

She picked it up carefully and observed it closely. It was more an amulet than a necklace actually. And the piece that hung on the brittle chain, adorned with small sparkling stones, looked very much like a heart. The literal kind.

She had never seen it before. And she was sure that it didn't belong to her mother or a relative.

What was she supposed to do with it?

And – most importantly – how the hell had it ended up in her house?

* * *

**That was all for tonight!**

**Remember, keep the feedback rolling!**

**Oh, and I'm thinking about choosing a day (or two) for updating. What do you think about this and if you do like the idea, what day (or days) should I choose?**

**Until next time, go out and host a BBQ – the weather's beautiful,**

**CheeseSwiss**


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